Vegetarians may have low sperm count

LOS ANGELES: Men who are vegans and vegetarians may have significantly reduced sperm counts than meat eaters, according to a new study.

Researchers at Loma Linda University Medical School in the US found that while a diet that is rich in fruit and vegetables can protect against many illnesses and can prolong life, it appears that it may also harm fertility.

Researchers studied how diets affect sperm in study participants in southern California.

The region has a high population of Seventh-Day Adventist Christians who are strict vegetarians.

Seventh-day Adventists live an average of 10 years longer than the American life expectancy of about 79 years and the researchers wanted to find out if their longevity might be linked to sperm quality, 'The Telegraph' reported.

They found that vegetarians and vegans had significantly lower sperm counts compared with meat eaters, 50 million sperm per ml compared with 70 million per ml.

They also had lower average sperm motility - the number of sperm which are active. Only one third of sperm were active for vegetarians and vegans compared with nearly 60 per cent for meat eaters.

The team believes that vitamin deficiencies may be to blame or replacing meat with soy could be responsible.

"We found that diet does significantly affect sperm quality. Vegetarian and vegan diets were associated with much lower sperm counts than omnivorous diets," said Dr Eliza Orzylowska, an obstetrician at Loma Linda University Medical Centre in California.

"Although these people are not infertile, it is likely to play a factor in conception, particularly for couples who are trying to conceive naturally," Orzylowska said.

The study will be presented at the American Society of Reproductive Medicine's annual meeting in Hawaii.

http://e.hormone.tulane.edu/learning/phytoestrogens.html
“We are exposed daily to highly variable amounts of phytoestrogens. While adults eating a vegetarian diet or those taking dietary supplements containing phytoestrogens have high levels of exposure, infants drinking soy-based formula have the highest exposure levels by far. In most cases, the soy formula is the only source of nutrition for these infants during their first few months of life. The infants, then, are exposed to 10 times greater concentrations of phytoestrogens than adult vegetarians.

According to recent estimates in the United States, more than 15 percent of babies are given soy formula. In the United States, soy formula is easily available “over-the-counter.” However, in European countries, it is available by prescription only. The isoflavones genistein and daidzein are two phytoestrogens found at very high levels in soy formula.

.....Studies with laboratory and farm animals, as well as wildlife eating high amounts of phytoestrogen-rich plants, have documented reproductive problems.

........According to modern-day analyses, many of the plants historically noted for their ability to prevent pregnancies or cause miscarriages contain phytoestrogens and other hormonally-active substances.

...........Diets rich in certain phytoestrogens also adversely affect the fertility of experimental and domestic animals.

........Additionally, phytoestrogens may influence development and trigger life-long effects. Mice and rats exposed before or right after birth to several phytoestrogens, including coumestrol and genistein, develop adverse reproductive function later in life. The studies report altered ovarian development, altered estrous cycles, problems with ovulation, and subfertility”

Moral of the story, skip vegetarianism if you want kids or grandkids.

“According to recent estimates in the United States, more than 15 percent of babies are given soy formula. In the United States, soy formula is easily available “over-the-counter.” However, in European countries, it is available by prescription only. The isoflavones genistein and daidzein are two phytoestrogens found at very high levels in soy formula.

.....Studies with laboratory and farm animals, as well as wildlife eating high amounts of phytoestrogen-rich plants, have documented reproductive problems.”

Then there is the elephant in the room of the multitudes of women on birth control pills, spewing pregnancy mimicking hormones into the water supply system that can’t be removed. This problem has been known about for decades.

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